IBM Architectural Thinking Class in Abu Dhabi

In IBM, we have 3 main career paths: Project Manager, IT Specialist and IT Architect. For each path, there are certain certificate tracks to be followed that includes some mandatory trainings.

In Architect procession, one one of the most crucial training is “Architectural Thinking”. It teaches a repeatable and consistent approach to developing IT architectures. It establishes a common language and a common thought process that enables Architects to communicate and work together based on a common set of artifacts. The Architectural Thinking course presents, in a holistic way, the complete thinking process that an Architect exercises during a project.

Being an IT Architect in IBM more than 6 years, I completed this training years ago.. So why am I writing this post ? 🙂 Because I was the instructor !!

In November 2017, AT was held in Dubai and I attended this training as a candidate instructor with support of my mentor, my brother, my friend, my colleague Serkan. I supported Serkan and Amit, and got their good feedback to be a certified AT Instructor. Since then I was waiting an opportunity to provide this training for IT Architect candidates which happened this week.

It was decided to have an AT face to face class in Abu Dhabi in July, and when my colleagues who is organizing this event asked me if I can attend, I was way happy to be one of the instructor and also a bit nervous. My friends know me that I want the things to be perfect and it would be the first time with full responsibility. The surprise was about the first instructor: Harry Lewis from South Africa. When I noticed that he was my instructor 3 years back in a Technical Leadership University training in Istanbul, the pressure has increased a lot more.

Last weekend I started to study my sections and tied to get ready as much as possible, taking notes, trying to simulate how I will present each topic and which examples I can use apart from the ones that is provided in the slides.. I was too stressed that during the 3 days training, I slept around 8:30-9 and woke up 3-4 and studied the decks for that day. (most probably my Malaysia trip also had an impact on the sleeping routine because of the +4 hours difference with Abu Dhabi)

We were expecting 20 people to arrive but only 8 of them could make it because of various reasons. So it was a compact class. And I knew 5 of them from Etihad project 🙂 The things went very well. Harry’s broad experience and extensive support were amazing and I am very lucky to provide this training with him. All attendees enjoyed the class and learned about methodological way of creating architectures. My colleagues form Etihad all told me that now they can understand what we write in the solution documents and how 🙂 It is a very satisfactory feeling that I cannot explain here.

At the end of the class, I prepared a quick video of the 3 days that summarizes what has happened, cause generally the attendees are very busy with the exercises that they cannot realize how it passed through. (this is a tip from Serkan, he is the owner of this idea and did the same in Dubai last year)

Ah before I forgot, a special thanks to Debbie to make this class happened in Abu Dhabi, it would not have been the case without her pursuit.

Though I had a lot experience in providing education when I was in Turkey with the Bilim Kahramanlari Dernegi (Science Heroes Association), I did not imagine I would have enjoyed training this much.

Looking fwd to have new sessions, who knows when, where and with whom…..